Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-12-07
Wednesday, December 2, 1857.
THE RAILROAD FUTURE.

With much pleasure We commend
TO our readers the characteristic letter
from Gen'l Brisbin published this
morning.
The General is an acute observer
of public affairs, and In addition TO
this has the opportunity Of gathering
In many straws that indicate the drift
of the wind. and his digest Of the facts
and possibilities he thus gathers Is not
only interesting reading but charac.
terised by good sense and In the main
correct reading Of the signs. or
course II needs no prophet to tell US
that the two or three gigantic railroad
corporations now almost at the en-
trance Of our territory on the south
and east will In year or two stretch
their lines into the territory and con-
tinae on the way to the setting sun.
This 10 one iact In history that 10 sure
of repetition but the thing that 10 Of
vital interest to us In the program
q these roads 10, what are their objec- |
tive points In eastern Montana and |
can Miles City afford to be over conf.
dent or too easy gong as TO this pro.
gram. Az to this Genr Brisbin's ad.
Woe 10 most timely. We cannot afford
TO walt and take our chances In this
matter, but IL we do, the chances are
that other and more enterprising CON-
munities will step 10 and take oil
chances away from US. Steps should
be taken before spring by the city
council to communicate with the dif-
fereut roads that promise an early en-.
trance into eastern Montana, and II
they cannot ascertain the intentionsof
these corporations, as is unlikely, at
least give them some assurance that
we as community are alive to the
benefits tc be derived by new rail-
road connection and that We are will
ing to do something to secure IL. In
Che structures on the policy OF the
Northern Pacific road we do not fol.
low Gen'l Brisbin. The bridge that
has carried US safely over stream 10
entitled to due praise even In the face
OF other and manifest shortcomings.
Corporations are notoriously soulless,
aud in this respect We cannot hold the
Northern Pacific more guilty than It's
like all over the country, while on the
other hand no one eau question the as
sertion that the building of the great
has hastened the civilization
aud settlement of this country by
score OF years. We owe it much In
this respect and should not forget 1t
1t is well not to be too narrow minded
on large subjects like this, and 1t is a
postulate in any argument
on this question that had 1t been pbs-
sible for the Northern Pacific to make
q detour around Miles City and had
done so, the whole town, kickers and
oil, would have been willing 10 submit
to all the wrongs real or fsncied; high
night trains and all, to have
them bring their track to US again,
and their traffic past our doors. Rail- !
roads are not run in the interests of
the public any more than private bus )
mess enterprises are, and any road \
hat occupies the territory Of another a
and by competition forces the first q
road to lower rates, does IL from self. e
Interest only and not from any love Of
the dear people. But this is digres-
sion from the main subject; what we
want is another railroad outlet and no
tone should be left unturned TO secure
(. The closing suggestion of Gen'l
Brisbin, for the people Of Miles City
o Join in the incorporation Of q rail-
DAD 10 and beyond our southeast bor-
Ter is an excellent one and should be
lcted upon; by securing a franchise r
md occupying the most available
'oute from northern Wyoming to our
own, we place ourselves on practical
ooting TO treat with and offer to some
'osd substantial advantages In extend.
ng their line 10 this point. AS the
}enersl says, the railroads are coming,
ure, and it is our concern to see that
We don't get left.